Daily Republican., 1887-09-01
PLAYING With a TIGER.

surveying party. We numbered about
thirty eight people, ten of whom were
white men. We were travelling along
the north branch Of the Gadavey
river--sometimes upon Its bank and
again couple of miles from the water
sometimes travelling five or six miles a
| day, and again halting for couple
of days TO fish or shoot-when a most
singular incident befell me indivdu-
Ially. l had left camp at an early hour
in the morning to fish. While | car.
| ried my rifle with me, had no inten-
ton of going out of my way to find
game. On the previous afternoon l
had observed what seemed to be a
capital fishing spot in the bend of q
Iriver, and it was to this place hast
ened as | left camp. Some of the
native servants were astir and saw me
set out, but l did not want their ser
Iyices. II was q pretty thick jungle
between the camp and the bend, but
at the bend there was clear spot an
acre in extent, with a heavy forest
growth and ledge of rocks for back
ground. AS / took look around be-
fore sitting down on the bank to my
Isport l remarked that it was good
|srot for wild beasts, but as tn ere was
nothing moving l went right TO work
with my fishing tackle. Catching a
frog for bait l flung in the hook, and
liz wasn't five minutes before l was
Injecting with such luck that all
Thoughts of tige s, snakes and hyenas
Iwere driven out of my mind.
| had landed half a dozen good. sized
fish, and was just then playing large
lone, when slight noise startled me,
land looked around to see such a sight
as has seldom come TO the eyes of a
sportsman. A full grown tiger was
within five feet OF ME, playing with
one OF the fish. 1t was the last fish
Ipulled out, and in its dying agonies il
was jumping about on the grass
Every time il moved the tiger would
lput out a paw in playful way, and
once or twice he struck hard enough
to move the fish three or four feet. |
tell you was badly frightened man,
/. and all / could do was to sit there with
mouth and eyes open. The tiger had
Icrept down from the bluffs, and why
he hadn't attacked me was mystery
He went from fish to fish, turning them
over with his paw, and time and again
brushing me with his tail as he moved
Iabout. My rifle was ten feet away
leaning against bush. and 1 nigh
Ihave been idiot enough TO try to reach
lit, but for warning. My persona
lservant had followed me to see wha
luck had. He came into the neigh
borhood while the tiger was playing
with the fish, and, softly climbing {
ltree, he uttered the call OF bird 10 at
Itract my attention, and then sung out
do nothing to provoke the tiger
mas er. He is howee, and If yol
do not cross him he will go away"
He meant that the spirit OF goot
Inative had been transformed, and
was clearly the common sense way u
lfollow his advice AS the beas. CAV
lme no attention l turned to the tisl
Itugging at my line and landed him
lie was of good size and full of vitalit
land the tiger waited in playful wa
until removed the hock and thre'
!. the fish on the grass. Then he spran
, for it as kitten would for ball {
lyarn, and he played with 1t in th
Isamc way. 1t was laughable, in spit
Iof the circumstances, to witness Ia
. factions. He would run around in Gil
cles, as you have seen young dog de
sometimes almost leaping over mi
and then again he would become I'll
B. cat, and creep softly forward to pount
l ,lupon one of the fish. Each one /,
caught was flung to him, and it was
full half hour before he grew tired
the sport. expected he would tut
lon me sooner or later, but the natil
- saw the change OF demeanor first, ar
called: Master, the hiloweelc
going to play with you! BE as clay
his power"
Il The tiger suddenly left the last Fl;
landed and came stalking up to m
7 purring like cat and acting We
playful. His first move was to wor
his he d under my left arm, and l.
telling you the solemn truth when
say that | smoothed down his fur
If he had been fsvorite dog. l b,
on a big straw hat, and this he g
hold OF in his teeth and played wi
for ten minutes, or until he had to-
it all to pieces. / had no more bait
fish with, and drew in the line, al
sat there waiting for the tigers ne
~ move. When he had finished the b
he came over and rubbed against Il
land purred in pleased way, and
, rubbed him with my hand from no
"a to tail I gradually got over n
W. scare, but was yet very anxious
know how the affair would end. T
IL. eun was getting well up and very HI
and the beast would soon be seekil
his lair. In abou, 80 minutes frc
the time he appeared the tiger beg
. to show change of demeanor.
acted nervous and uneasy, and t
hair on his back stood up at interva
= judged that he got the scent OF I
en- e.. servant, and such proved to be
,ss Is. case.
sd; / dared not rise to my feet, bu
In made up my mind that if the tiger
,sa tackled me would make o spring
=: the bank into the river. 1t was
and tested with crocodiles, but there v
,ss. ~. not much choice between being ca
ID. by beast or saurian. Once the til
ops glared at me and growled, but
,i... s next moment whined as If for prot
By ton. The servant had been keepi
A. a watchful eye oD my strange pl
',,p mp mate, and he now believed that
END time had come for decisive acti
' The He, therefore, fred his pistol 9
Fd.' shouted at the top of his voice.
ne Q. EFFECT was immediate. The be
" Of dropped his tail, u tered long dra
, tn. ,s. whine, and, with sort of tarev